Electrostatic meter shield



'Patented Man. 4 1%? i v I I p UNITED STA PATET OFFICE I nrnc'mos'rzfigmrraa snmLn i I Joseph Cfll'elller, Drexel Hill, Pa, asslgnor Philco Corporation, Philadelphia Pa a corpo- I ration of Pennsylvania J Application December 31, 1943, Serial No. 516,524

4 Claims. (01. 171-95) The present invention relates to electrical in I It therefore is an object of the present inven-' dicating instruments or meters and more partiction to provide an improved method and an arularly to a method'and arrangement for elimirangement for eliminating the deleterious ref. natingerror due to the veffects of electrostatic fects of electrostatic fields where the current in; fields under certain conditions where indicating dicating instrument is mounted in. close proxmeters or instruments are used in high voltage imity to a structure whose electrical potential x circuits. i differs considerably from the potential of the in- 1 3 In certain electrical apparatus it is necessary I strumentr I v to provide indicating instruments or meters to i c It is another object of the present invention indicate the magnitude ofthe electrical current to provide an improved arrangement for elimin a high potential portion of the circuit. In inating the effects of electrostatic fields on inthe past, in order to protect the operator from struments used athlgh potentials where such electrical shock,.suc'h meters'have been mounted instruments are mounted adjacent to low poslightly in back of the front panel of the aptential Objects. I I paratus. The meter was frequently supported Other and further objects of the present ini I from a subpanel and the entire meter enclosed ventionsubsequently will become apparent by, in a metal box or housing conductively conreference to the following descriptiontaken in riected to the high potential side of the circuit connection with the accompanying drawing, in which the meter is connected. The purpose wherein: I or the metal box connected to the high potential 24;) Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an arrange j side of a circuit was to eliminate the'undesirable ment embodying the present invention;

effects of strong electrostatic fields which result Figure 2 is a front view' of an instrument illusfrom the meter being in close proximity to the trating certain essential parts thereof; and metal panel of the apparatus, which panel is at Figure 3 is a circuit diagram indicating the ground potential. It will be understood that 25 Position in an electrical circuit in which an indi-. I where very sensitive meters are employed, e. g., eating instrument might-be used at high poten-j meters designed to indicate currents of the ortial. I der of microamperes, strong electrostatic fields Referring to the drawing, it will be seen thatv 1 I may easily produce very appreciable deflections of there'has been shown 8 P n a P ne ll A the indicating pointer, e. g., of the order of 10% forming part of a housing or support foreln'elec- 4 of full scale. trical apparatus. :-The panel II is at groundpos' In orderthat the high potential housing about tentlal as is customary and may be provided with the meter may not be a hazard to the operator suitable apertures for receiving indicatinginstruor repair technleiamthe high potential housing ments, or for viewing indicating instruments is usually surrounded by a larger metallic shield mounted in back of the panel. Accordingly, or casing which is maintained at ground potenthere has been shown one such aperture 12 which tial. In providing the larger grounded shield, may be provided with a glasswindow I3. Sup! great care must be taken to avoid electrical break ported in back of the aperture l2 by suitable studs down between it and the high potential housor mounting members is an indicating instruing. In addition there'is present a when 40 ment. l5,th'e front of which is illustrated ln Fig-- ever the ground shield is left off accidentally. ure 2. The instrument ,liis of the current in- Therefore it has been found desirable to provide ,dicatingtype and may be connected ina circuit, an improved arrangement which is less bulky, such as shown in Figure 3, so as to hem series which minimizes the electrical break down danwith a load l6 and arranged between the high ger, and which also minimizes the hazard brought potential (ungrounded) end of the loadand the about by accidentally leaving off the ground hi h po e tia (unsr i e of a le t shield. a source of high voltage. In oneembodlment in In accordance with the present invention, -which'the invention'was-utilized, a potential of means are provided for eliminating the delete- 6000 volts was applied to thecircuit. a I rious effects of electrostatic fields on the moving Theinstrument 15 may be of the typehavingk H elements of the meter. The elimination of these an insulated casing I! provided with a niounte effects is attained through the agency of novel ing flange l8 having suitable apertures I! there. 1 h and greatly simplified means for substantially in so that fastening means may be used with the" a eliminating the electrostatic field in the immemounting studs I4 to support the instrument?" dlate region of said moving elements. a short distance in back or the front panel ll.

ments of the meter. course, but is confined generally to the space be- 3 7 I At the back of the casingjij there are provided two terminals 2| for connecting the instrument in a circuit, such as shown;- in Figure 3. The instrument is provided with -a dial 22 for cooperation with an indicating pointer 23 which is actu ated by the operatingmechanism suitably supported within the housing III. The dial 22 is visible through a window 24 which is provided with a dial glass 25 which may be retained in position by a metal ring 26. In the present instance. the metal ring 28 has been shown as being of thesplit resilient wire ring type, but it is to be understood that other forms of rings, such as those which are continuous and which frictionally engage the inner surface of the housing, II to retain the dial window glass 25 in positiommay be used. In the arrangement as described so far,- a very strong electrostatic field would exist between the I V 4 and when they are not, the connection to high voltage may be inconspicuous or even invisible,

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the high potential shielding ring 28 extends around substantially the entire perimeter of the indicating instrument. Experiment has shown that while this is convenient, mechanicallyitis not at all necessary;

Thus a high potential memberextendin only say, half-way around the meters perimeter is frequently sufllcient to eliminate appreciable errors in meter reading. Alternatively a small metalbar or plate maybe interposed between the plane of the panel Ii and the moving ele- 1i ments of the meter. This bar or plate may be of suiflciently small dimensions that at least the major portion of the pointer 23 is not obscured thereby. Speaking generally, the function of the moving elementsof the meter (e. g. the moving coil, pointer, etc.) andthe grounded metal panel II. This field givesrise to relatively strong elec trostatic forces between the moving elements and the panel, and may cause movements of the pointer which frequently are of the order of 10% of full scale.

In order to eliminate the deleterious efiects of electrostatic fields caused by mounting the indicating instrument; l5 in close proximity'to the fgroundedfront panel H, the retaining ring 26 is conductively connected by a suitable conductor means 21 to one terminal 2| of the instrument.

Since the impedance of the instrument is relatively, small it is usually immaterial which terminal is selected for this connection. By interl posing betweenth'e operating mechanism of the instrument l5 and the grounded panel H a ring,

such as 28, (which may be the retaining rin or an auxiliary ring providedfor that purpose) connected to the high potential side of the circuit, the'detrlmental effects of the electrostatic field are eliminated. It will be observed that this is accomplished by eliminating the high'intensity electrostatic field in the region of the. moving ele- The field still exists, of

tween the ring 28 and the panel il. It ha been foundthat in practice the shielding eflects of the ring are entirely adequate, and substantially identical to the shielding eflects of the high potential housing previously utilized and described hereinbefore.

ring, bar, or plate, is simply to reduce thev gradient of the electrostatic field, in the immediate vicinity of the meters moving elements, to such an extent that the electrostatic forces remaining are insufllcient to causeappreciable deflection ofthe pointer.

In the schematic diagram minal being grounded; It will be obvious, of course, that in other applications it may bede sired to connect the positive terminal of. the

source to ground,.and to connect the meter I! in the negative high voltage portion of the oilcult. 1 V.

While for the purpose of illustrating and describing the present invention, a specific instrument and arrangement thereof has been shown,

' it is to be understood that this is not intended to constitute a limitation of the invention since obviously other types of instruments and mounting arrangements maybe used without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventlon'as set forth in the appended claims.

l I claim:

1. The combination comprising a current indicating meter, having moving elements, adapted to be connected in a high potential circuit, said meter being mounted adjacent to a low potential object and therefore being subjected to an electrostatic field, a conducting member forming part In order to provide protection to the operator or to the repair technician, the indicating instrument I5 is preferably surrounded by a grounded shield or housing 28 which may be secured to I the grounded panel II by any suitable means.

It will be apparent that the grounded shield 28 is not'nearly as large asthe grounded shields I heretofore required for housing the instrument together with its high potential shield, and consequently there is less likelihood of any need for removing the shield when access is needed to the apparatus adjacent to the meter.

I It will be appreciated that the present arrangement 'is more compact, and that it minimizes the hazard which occurred heretofore when the grounded shield was removed, and where the repair technician failed to identify the inner shield as being at high potential. Thus in the illustrated embodiment the conductor 21 is clearly visible throughout its v is moipted on the support, and means connecting said conducting member to one of said terminals.

entire "touchable length, and even the most cursory inspection will disclose the fact that itiis connected to a, high potential point. On the other hand, referring to the prior art, large shields are almost always at ground potential,

of the meter assembly interposed between said low potential object and the moving elements of said meter, and a connection between one or the terminals of said-meter and said conducting member, whereby the deleterious eifects of said field.

on said meter are substantially eliminated. .1

2. An electric meter for use in a high potential circuit and adapted to be; mounted on a low potential support, said meter comprising moving elements and a casing or housing for the meter parts including the moving elements, a pair of terminals mounted on said casing for connecting said meter in said circuit,.a conducting member supported in a position such that it will be interposed between the low potential support andthe moving meter elements when the meter 3. In combination, an electric meter for use in a high potential circuit, a low'potential support for said meter, said meter comprising moving elements and a casing or housing for the meter ,parts including the moving elements, a pair of terminals mounted on said casingfor connecting said meter in said circuitxa conducting member supported within said casing in a position such of Figure 3, their! strument ii is shown inthe positive high voltage portion of the circuit, the negativeter-' ep a),-

that it is interposed between the low potential support and the moving meter elements, means connecting said conducting member to one of said terminals, and shielding means surrounding said meter and maintained at a low potential. 5

4. The combination comprising a current indicating instrument connected in a high potential circuit, said instrument being mounted adjacent to a low potential or grounded object and therefore being subjected to an electrostatic field, said instrument having an insulating case, a dial window including a transparent member, a metal ring for retaining said member in position, a pair oi! terminals for connecting said instrument in said circuit, and a conductive connection between said ring and one or said terminals, whereby the deleterious eflecte oi -said fleld on said instrument are substantially eliminated.

JOBEPHC. 'IEILIJIER.

summons crrm The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Date 0 

